NIA: Nightshade Intelligence Agency
by HarderBetterFasterStronger
Summary: After spending her life on the streets, Annabeth Chase is recruited by ex-best friend, Percy Jackson, and his fateful team of agents to the NIA. But when secrets and hidden pasts arise and Annabeth is being suffocated by her own lies and an annoying lover, she has no choice but to embark on her first mission. But everything is not what it seems; especially when you're an agent.


NIA: Nightshade Intelligence Agency

Chapter One: An Introduction to The Madness

* * *

"_Absolute discretion is a ruthless master. It is more destructive of freedom than any other of man's inventions."_

_William O. Douglas_

* * *

"Are you sure about this?"

Ambassador Meredith Coleman gazed outside the window; observing the pale sky that was streaked with grey. The same dullness danced through her silver eyes, and although any witness present would've said she was paying attention, they would be wrong.

"I'm sure. This girl…high IQ, unmatched intelligence. But she gave up. She invested herself into petty crime. Drugs, alcohol…it set her on a certain path, but she needn't stay on it." Director Hobbs was flipping through the manila file folder filled with so many papers that they were constantly sliding out. This girl wasn't his point of interest; she was his hobby. For three long years he watched this girl throw her life away, and for three long years he observed how much potential she had. He had been patient, so agonizingly patient with her. But it had come to a close. He was tired of watching her waste it away; so he did the most rational thing he could think of.

He asked permission to recruit her.

"This will be humiliating to her," Meredith barely tried to make an argument. "She won't stick out like a golden egg filled with other regular ones. She will be equally matched in strength, intelligence, and agility. She will be one of many, instead of one of a kind." Hobbs closed the file folder and began to briskly run his fingers over it. "You're wrong. This girl is different. She didn't grow up in a rich home filled with everything she needed. Her family, before their unsettling deaths, was poor. Things like books, supplies…anything to harness her mind, she had to steal. The very thing that made her childhood unhappy could be the asset that pushes her past all the others. They've gotten everything at the snap of their fingers. Let us see how long it takes them to realize they are outwitted."

"They won't accept her." Meredith leaned forward on the edge of her chair; her silver eyes piercing his. "She'll be an outcast because of her past." Hobbs nodded in agreement. "This is true. But she has something that sets her apart from everyone else." Meredith raised an eyebrow. "And what would that be?"

"She's going to fight for her spot, and I'd like to see them try and get in the way between her and what she wants." Meredith pursed her red lipstick coated lips and narrowed her eyes. "Fine, but we will approach this situation with tact and cautiousness. This girl obviously isn't meant to be fooled, and she won't come easily; even at the offer of money." Hobbs scratched his head. "I know. Which is why I think we should treat this as a mission." Meredith's eyes bulged. "You want us to send in agents to bring in a possible recruit?" Hobbs nodded. "More or less. But not agents, exactly. Trainees; teenagers, who when they reach the age of twenty-one, will become agents." Meredith seemed more pleased at the idea of trainees.

She gingerly picked up a bell, and lightly shook it. A girl, maybe fifteen at the most, with auburn hair and bright eyes entered the room. She never made eye contact with either of them, and instead looked at the ground and mumbled in a tiny voice, "How may I help you, Ambassador Meredith?" Hobbs felt like chuckling. The girl was so shy and tiny; she was adorable.

"Ask Agent Johansson to bring me Agent Jackson, both Graces, McLean, and Di`Angelo." The girl curtsied, and then exited the room. "Are you satisfied?" Meredith questioned as they both waited for the agents (without official badges) to enter. Hobbs smirked.

"You asked for us?" Thalia was the first to enter, and had peeked her head in. When she was first recruited at the age of thirteen, they had found her with Jason, her brother, and Luke Castellan (who later was killed, and her first mission was to find the criminal and dispose of him), starving and barely mobile. Now, she was a sophisticated young woman. Her spiky black hair had grown out to her elbows, and her electric blue eyes were alert and noticeable. She was a striking young woman, and this was the very asset that made her so good on missions. She looked innocent, but since she grew up on the streets, she was far from that.

Her victims never saw it coming.

Her boyfriend, Nico Di`Angelo, was most respected throughout the agency. Yes, he was brilliant and had unmatched fighting skills, but he was widely respected for being able to make the infamous Thalia Grace fall in love. It was no easy task, but in the end, they were both happy. He planned on proposing to her as soon as they became real agents. Everyone considered them to be, but it'd be nice to see the official badge.

Next was Thalia Grace's twin brother, Jason Grace. He took after their father, unlike Thalia, who only gained his blue eyes. He had blonde hair, the same electric blue eyes, but was different entirely. Jason was more quiet and reserved. He did what he was told with no complaint, and could sometimes be accused of being too perfect. He did what he had to, and was the hero in normal circumstances.

His girlfriend, though, was the complete opposite.

Born with the ability to make people obey her command (maybe it was her eyes, or her luring aura), Piper McLean was an iridescent character with ever changing kaleidoscope eyes and almond hair. Her Native American tinted skin was absolutely flawless, and although she wore no make-up and always wore her hair in a choppy style, she was lovely.

Percy Jackson, the leader of their team, was somewhat different. He was handsome, with his raven black hair and sea green eyes, but he was mysterious. His past was unsettling; due to his mother being killed in front of him and his dad walking out, but somehow he had pushed that all behind him. He was the best agent they had seen since the birth of the agency. He didn't take shit from anybody, and he did what his gut told him to. Girls chased after him because of his olive tanned skin, which resulted from Greek heritage. But he was loyal, to his friends and family, and when he occasionally had them, his girlfriends.

Truthfully, he had only ever had one.

Calypso Ogygia, a former agent, was a bad pick. She carelessly broke the rules and betrayed others. He had fallen for her beauty, and she had played him into wanting nothing more than her golden hair and caramel eyes. She betrayed him, though, and broke his newly repaired heart. She was kicked out of the agency. She had been working for Shaw, their former mission, and had tried to kill Percy numerous times. He had vowed to never get to close to anything again. And he had good reason. Nothing good ever came from falling in love with others.

"Yes, do come in." They all shuffled into her office, and Percy, being the last one to enter, closed the door and took his respective spot. Percy was in the middle, with Nico and Thalia on his opposite sides, and Jason stood next to Thalia and Piper stood next to Nico. "At ease." Hobbs stood up and made his way to the large mahogany desk. The agents, instead of standing with their feet together, made their feet shoulder-width apart, and behind their back, their right hand closed over their left wrist.

"We have an assignment for you." Meredith then motioned to Hobbs who slid the file folder onto the desk. The flap was open, and the first paper on the top of the stack was a picture of a young woman with blonde curly hair and striking grey eyes.

"Annabeth Chase. We need her as a recruit, but judging by her past, she won't come easily." Percy raised an eyebrow. "Judging by her past, sir?" Hobbs smiled and nodded. "Yes, Agent Jackson, I believe we have found someone with a more unsettling past than your own. She grew up in a poor family that lived on the streets of New York City. Her parents were hunted down, and her brothers, Matthew and Bobby, were killed as well. Annabeth was forced to watch at nine years old, and after that, she was on the run with her only living family member, and twin brother, Malcolm. He died from pneumonia when both were the age thirteen, and since then, she has been a criminal. She has been in crimes such as drug dealing, alcohol, and assault. She assaults whoever gets in her way, and she is no one to mess with. On the streets, she is known as Deadly Beauty. She has a permanent residence in Manhattan, which was paid for with the money she stole during a deadly drug deal. We have kept the police off her scent for one reason; she is recruiting material. Her IQ is off the charts, and her ability to fight and solve problems is unequal. What makes you some of the best agents here is that all of you grew up without everything you needed. You were given the mindset of having to fight for everything, and this has been your greatest asset. This girl has the potential to outwit everyone here, me included. And we need you to bring her in."

"Why us?" Nico questioned.

"Since you all have the same kind of background, we thought she'd connect easily with you." Thalia laughed. "That's where you're wrong. This girl is going to be anything but easy. She will put up a fight, and no matter what you do, she will resist. If you manage to get her to become an agent, she will still do as she pleases. Are you sure you want to do this?"

Hobbs nodded. "Yes."

Thalia whispered something into Percy's ear, and he frowned, but nodded anyway.

"You will be given two weeks. Put those badges to good use and bring her here."

They made no protest, and left the room quietly. "This isn't right. She's been played her entire life, she doesn't deserve this." Piper spoke all their unvoiced opinions. "Yes, I know. But she's Nightshade material." Percy spoke up. Thalia and Nico nodded in agreement.

"Percy, you share the same kind of past. I think you should lead this." Piper spoke up as Jason wrapped a secure arm around her. "I agree. This girl isn't our average rich and snobby recruit. She will resist with all she has, and to be honest, I don't know if we should put up a fight."

"We should." Percy intervened. "We were all broken before the agency found us. This girl has been through more than all of us combined. She needs a home, a family. And we can give her that." "But what if she doesn't want to be helped?" Thalia argued. "The agency brought us in by sheer force. We were each offered a deal; our crimes were forgotten of by joining. What about this girl? The police have been on her trail for years but have never encountered her once. They know what she looks like only because someone in her previous gang who didn't particularly like her handed it over."

Nico nodded. "This isn't our average case. We need to try and find a way to do this." They entered one of the many conference rooms and took a seat. Before each mission, they went over the details of their case, and how they would tackle the situation.

"It's impossible, though." Jason said, agitated. "There is no way to do this without trying to gain her trust and betray it." Each of them sat back; stumped.

Percy scratched his head; a habit he had when he was in deep thought.

"Then let's not go in as agents." He suggested. Thalia's forehead crinkled. "What do you mean?" "Well, if this girl knows we're agents, she'll obviously resist. Besides, under normal circumstances, we never go on a mission where the person knows our true identities."

"But this is different." Nico cut in. "We want her to trust us; we need to tell her beforehand." Percy rolled his eyes. "We don't need her to _trust_ us; we need her to come _with_ us." Thalia rolled her eyes. "This girl isn't some tough robot; she's a tough _person_. She has feelings and thoughts of her own. She is a human being, and it'd be wise to treat her as such."

"Well, do you guys have any better ideas?" The conference room grew silent, and Percy sported a smug smile. "So…are we going to carry out my plan?" Thalia and the others briefly glanced at each other.

"Okay, let's bring this girl in."

* * *

"Well it took you long enough."

Annabeth reprimanded as the blonde middle-aged man strolled into the interrogation room. "Don't be like that." He scolded and pushed the two dead officers out the seats and then situated himself in the left one. "Well I've been in this room for about three hours. And let's just say," She glanced at the limp bodies on the ground. "You could've been the slightest bit discreet." The man laughed, making Annabeth fold her arms against her chest. "We're not a secret service; we don't operate at high levels of discretion. We're honest about what we are and what we do."

"Honesty my ass. You just believe that hiding our nature is a form of cowardice." He played with the white porcelain mug the original police officer was just moments ago sipping. "Don't you? I mean, great minds do think alike." Annabeth chuckled humorlessly and played with her fingers. "Don't compare me to you." He laughed and with a flick of his hand, he pushed the mug off the table. It shattered into thousands of pieces, and the unexpected sound made Annabeth flinch. "You're afraid of who'd come out on top, aren't you?"

"Not at all. Actually, it's quite the contrary. I'd obviously win, since I possess two qualities you'll never have." The man seemed to actually be paying attention. "Which is…"

"Conviction and morality." He chuckled, "Since when have I needed morality? And I have all the conviction in the world." Annabeth rolled her eyes and undid her handcuffs. They fell to the floor, and Annabeth got up from her chair. "If this is what we've become, I want no part of it."

"Don't try to change yourself," He warned with a steady voice. "You are what you are, and there are severe consequences, more severe than I could ever give, for trying to be what you're not. You're smart, intelligent, brilliant, even. But you've thrown it all away; that was your choice. Don't make this decision without looking at the inevitable outcome." Annabeth's hand lingered on the doorknob; she didn't know if she should walk out or not.

"I will not be responsible for your safety anymore." Annabeth took a deep breath, "Understandable."

"Nor will I be responsible for your fate." He leaned on the edge of his chair, and Annabeth turned around to meet his steely cerulean stare. "If you walk out, your destiny will change. You won't live this time, Annabeth. They're after you; you're the last one of your family they need to pick off."

"They won't get me." She argued harshly; a scowl plastered on her face. "And I hope they don't." Annabeth's expression changed when she saw how genuine he was being. "I really do. I really hope you decide to leave New York and get on with your life. But if this is your decision, then I stand behind you." She took a deep breath and finally twisted the knob. "Bye, Dakota."

"Bye, Annabeth."

She closed the door and traveled through the vacant police station. When she finally made it out, she took a deep breath and walked down the stairs.

"Annabeth Chase?"

She turned around to meet the electric blue eyes of a girl with long, midnight black hair. She was very pretty, and since she had the dark hair and bright eyes, she could be described as striking. Annabeth, though, sensing danger, tried to find a way out of the conversation. "I do not answer to that name." She stated and walked in the opposite direction. "Deadly beauty, isn't it?" The girl managed to catch up with her, and Annabeth nodded. "Yes?"

"Well, I…" Suddenly, Thalia stopped talking, and her electric blue eyes flickered animatedly in recognition. "Wait a minute…" She muttered under her breath. "Annabeth? Annabeth Chase?"

"I already told you that I don't-"

"Annie?" She whispered, making a surge of recognition flow through her. "Thals!" The two girls embraced each other tightly. "Oh my god, it's been like, what? Ten years at least?" Annabeth embraced her tightly instead of answering. It was beyond comforting knowing at least one person from your childhood was still alive, still breathing, still _everything_. Annabeth finally let go and gave Thalia a quick once over. "Oh my…you are gorgeous." Annabeth complimented, though everything she said was true. Thalia blushed a deep shade of crimson. "Thank you. But if I could have a fraction of your beauty I'd be perfection." It was then Annabeth's turn to blush like crazy. "Thanks, Thals. But surely with looks like that you must have a boyfriend, right?" Annabeth wriggled her eyebrows. She hadn't done something so girly and careless since she was little.

"Yes, she does." A tall, handsome man with dark, disheveled hair and obsidian eyes wrapped his long arms around Thalia's torso. "Yes, Annabeth, this is Nico Di`Angelo…my boyfriend." Nico's arms grew slack and he reached out to Annabeth. She politely shook it and introduced herself, "Annabeth Chase. You're girlfriend and I grew up on the streets together. We got kicked out of so many places together…" Thalia laughed, and three others walked up to them. Two of them were linked by the hand. The man had blonde hair and shared Thalia's electric blue eyes, and before Annabeth knew what she was doing, she jumped into Jason's arms. "Sparky!" She shrieked and pulled him tighter into her arms. "Well hello to you to, blondie." He greeted with a sly grin. Annabeth scowled and smacked his arm. Slowly, she noticed there was a girl standing next to him. "Introduce me to your girlfriend." She said quietly and nudged him.

Jason nodded and wrapped an arm around the girl; pushing her forward. She was very pretty, with her kaleidoscope eyes and almond hair. Annabeth smiled, "What's your name?" The girl took a deep breath and replied, "Piper McLean. You?" Annabeth raised her eyebrows. Granted, the girl seemed sweet, but something about her voice made Annabeth uneasy. It was too luring; too suspicious. "Annabeth Chase." She shook her hand with a smile. The third person finally approached, and Annabeth's voice hitched. He was very handsome, with his long but athletic body. He had raven black hair, mesmerizing sea green eyes, and teeth so white Annabeth could see her reflection. His chiseled body and abs made Annabeth's heart leap. But that wasn't what made her uneasy; it was how familiar he looked.

Suddenly, her grasp on Thalia's wrist tightened, and a flashback or memory of some sort soared through her mind.

"_I'm going to knock it down."_

_Annabeth flicked her baby golden curls over her shoulder and gritted her teeth. Even at the age of five she was insufferable and easily annoyed. "Fine, but remember that I can always build it back up." The young child with messy and disheveled black hair stuck out his tongue and narrowed his sea green eyes. "It's not fun to have a meanie for a friend." He pouted. Annabeth gritted her teeth. Her best friend was so incompetent at times; it really did annoy her. Annabeth was about to counter back a response when a loud sound erupted from downstairs. Annabeth's forehead crinkled in puzzlement. _

"_Percy!" She hissed when she heard the footsteps from downstairs. All joking was aside, and Percy held up his pointer finger to his lips, attempting to quiet her. He made a move to stand, and Annabeth joined him. "We have to be quiet." She whispered, and Percy nodded in understanding. Slowly, they slipped out of the room, down the narrow corridor, and started to quietly make their way downstairs. This was the moment when most would realize their intelligence. The average five year old would cry, or hide, or do something more irrational. Annabeth and Percy weren't like most five year olds, and they knew they were in impending danger._

_Annabeth's feet softly hit the hardwood with a faint thump, and Percy managed to do it even more soundlessly. She felt like muttering, "Show off", but she understood this was not the time for silly competitions. When they heard loud footsteps coming their way, Annabeth quietly pushed her and Percy against the wall. When the footsteps got closer, Annabeth tried to sneak a look but ended up stubbing her toe against the bottom stair. When she tried to cry out, Percy harshly cupped his hand over her mouth. "Quiet." He mouthed, and Annabeth winced but nodded nonetheless. The footsteps started back down the hall, and back to the kitchen. Annabeth tried to look again, but the scream that erupted from Sally Jackson's mouth made her freeze. "MOM!" She tried to stop him, but Percy ran down the hall and into the kitchen. Annabeth, scared shitless, pressed herself against the wall and cupped her hands over her mouth. There was some tumbling, and finally, a gun shot rang out. Annabeth's grey eyes widened in fear as she sneaked a look. The footsteps were more urgent now, and Annabeth could vaguely hear a door opening, then slamming abruptly. Taking that as her cue, Annabeth sprinted down the hall, but gasped when she entered the kitchen. _

_Sally Jackson lay motionless, her eyes wide open. Blood was staining her white blouse, and the quantity of it grew greater by the passing seconds. She was dying, Annabeth knew that much by the area he had shot her; her heart. Percy, though, was cradling her head as tears poured down his eyes. It then occurred to her what had happened: Sally was murdered, and Percy had been forced to watch. Her heart clenched tight as if someone was squeezing it tremendously hard, and she took a deep breath and slid on her knees to where Percy was crying. Despite her intelligence and strange gift to always know the right thing to say; Annabeth was speechless. _

_It was a thing she had never experienced; not knowing the right words to say. But right then and there, all she could do was watch Sally die, and let a tear escape from her cold eyes. _

_She would be speechless two more times after that._

"Percy?" She asked, her voice quivering. Percy's sea green eyes narrowed in confusion, and he took a step back. "Do I know you?" He asked cautiously. Annabeth didn't know how to tell him; she couldn't find a way of explaining herself that didn't result in having to repeat the death of Sally Jackson. So she took a deep breath and replied, "No, I'm sorry, you just look very familiar." He looked unconvinced, but Thalia was more than happy to change the subject. "Well we've got some catching up to do! Let's go!" Thalia announced and dragged Annabeth, Piper, Jason, and Nico towards a café. Percy still stood there, trying to figure out how Annabeth would know him. He hardly ever made himself known, and when he did, it was at a high level of discretion.

It was as if she had known him when he was younger, which would explain why it took more than once glance to recognize him. But that's impossible, because after his mom died, he refused to interact with other children. Before his mom died, he supposed she could've been an acquaintance, but he was reserved when he was younger. So how did… Then it all came back to him. His sea green eyes widened, and his head snapped up to observe her retreating figure. She turned back to him with confused eyes, and he couldn't help himself when the word tumbled out of his mouth.

"Annabeth!"

* * *

**New story time! One person said that I shouldn't be that person who loses interest in their stories and then doesn't do anything and just deletes it. Lies Straight From the Pit of Hell…I didn't necessarily lose my interest, there were just problems with the story. First of all, I had waited eight chapters before actually bringing in the main plot…which was a huge mistake in itself. Second of all, the characters were all over the place, people were asking me who was who, and I realized that I had really made a mess out of it. **

**So yes, I deleted it.**

**This is kind of the present for deleting it, and this story I WILL finish. I have most of it written out anyway, and it's kind of the way I wish I had dealt with LSFTPOH. This one is going to be interesting, and as you can see, the chapters are gonna be the twice the length they normally are in my other stories. I hope you guys enjoyed the first chapter…**

**R&R**


End file.
